Cold to the Touch

Chapter Nine

(Nora's POV)

It took us most of the day to create a safe serum for Caitlin to use. The entire time I couldn't keep my mind off of the note. I was anxious. Everything my dad ever told me about altering the timeline was coming to mind. Here I was, about to alter one too. By 8:00pm, I felt like throwing up. I regretted writing the note.

Once the serum was given the green light and Caitlin had taken it, I quickly slipped out to the cortex so that I could get rid of the note. I wasn't about to fuck up this timeline, my mom and dad would get together on their own time. I grabbed my note from the main desk in the room and turned, ready to burn the paper and be done with it, but I bumped right into Cisco.

"Uncle Cisco! You scared me!" I gasped, holding my chest. I moved the paper away from his view when I noticed he was looking at it. He squinted his eyes at me suspiciously.

"What's that?" He asked, pointing to the paper. I crumpled it more so that he couldn't see what was written.

"Oh! I made a list of things I want to do before I leave." I grinned, folding the paper and slipping it into my jacket pocket.

"Hmm, I don't believe you." Cisco said, giving me the side eye. I frowned at him.

"That's alright." I shrugged, pulling him in for a hug. "Can you tell dad I went home? I have a couple things I need to do before I head to bed for the night."

"I'm on to you, Mini Flash." Cisco pointed his finger at me. He looked like he was about to say more but I used my super speed to run back to the loft before he could. I searched all over the apartment for a lighter and once I found one I lit the paper on fire and held it above the sink. My parents couldn't find out I had almost tampered with their relationship. Or the timeline.

I was so focused on making sure that the note burned that when my phone started to buzz in my pocket, I jumped, letting out a tiny screech. I pulled it out and swiped to answer the call without looking. I held the phone up to my ear.

"Yes?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the burning paper.

"Hi, Nora. It's Jesse." My eyes went wide and I looked up at the wall behind the sink in shock. Why was Jesse calling me?

"Yes?" I repeated, a little confused. Did she need to tell me something about Danny?

"Listen, I know that you aren't too fond of me after the break up with Danny." I let out a soft sigh. I really hoped she didn't plan on making this a long conversation. I yelped when I felt a burning sensation in my fingers. I dropped the paper in the sink to let it finish burning there. I hadn't realized how close the fire had gotten to my hand.

"Shit, that hurt." I hissed, looking over my hand. My fingers were just a little red and irritated, they would heal within minutes.

"Nora? Are you still up? Cisco told me you headed home." I heard dad call out before there was the sound of the door closing behind him. As he locked the door I quickly rinsed the ashes from the sink. I hadn't even heard him come in.